The one-year breast surgery fellowship at WashU Medicine trains surgeons to become experts in clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast disease and breast cancer. Fellows work at Siteman Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Missouri and southern Illinois, which recently opened a new, state-of-the-art building on the Washington University Medical Campus. Olivia Galloway, MD, breast surgery fellow, shares why she chose to specialize in breast surgery, the most rewarding aspects of her career, and more in this interview.
Did you always know you wanted to be a surgeon?
Olivia Galloway: I didn’t always know I wanted to be a surgeon. I really fell in love with the field of surgery during my third-year rotation in medical school. It was great being able to take a patient from their diagnosis to helping them with my hands to fix whatever problem they were having.
Why did you choose to specialize in breast surgery?
OG: I chose to specialize in breast surgery because I love the relationships a breast surgeon has with their patients. It’s always a terrifying part of a patient’s life when they get a breast cancer diagnosis. Being able to take a patient from their diagnosis to treatment is one of the most fulfilling aspects of breast surgery.
When I was in medical school and in residency, I got to see the relationships my attending surgeons would have with their patients, being able to follow them for years to come from that initial diagnosis to eventual cure.
What should women know about breast health?
OG: Women should know that early detection of breast cancer is key to treatment. I hope that women get their annual mammograms so they can catch breast cancer at its earliest stages and have a good outcome.
Women should also know how to do a self-exam, knowing what’s normal for their own breasts.
Lastly, I hope that women know their family history. If they have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, they are able to talk to their doctors about it and potentially qualify for high-risk screening.
What is the most impactful part of your work?
OG: The most impactful part of my work is being able to help treat cancer. People are often very worried when they feel a mass or are told there’s an abnormality on their mammogram. Being the first person to tell them it’s going to be okay, and that we’re going to get them through it, is the best part of being a breast surgeon.
Why did you choose WashU Medicine?
OG: I chose WashU Medicine for a number of reasons. First: it has world-class physicians and researchers. Being able to learn from them and work with them is an invaluable opportunity for me as a fellow. The second reason is the people. People here care so much about their patients. No matter how busy a physician is, when they are in the room with a patient, they make that patient feel like they are the most important person.
Tell us about a time when your work touched a person’s life.
OG: Since arriving at WashU, I’ve had the opportunity to deliver some great news for patients. After surgery, being able to tell a person: “We’ve taken out all your cancer. The margins are good. You have no positive lymph nodes. You don’t need to do anything more.” That’s an amazing feeling. I’ve had so many hugs from people after telling them their cancer has been completely removed.
What do you want people to know about the breast surgery fellowship at WashU Medicine?
OG: Fellowship has been great so far. It has been so rewarding, being able to learn from all of the attendings on the surgical service. They all have such special ways of doing things. Learning their techniques and seeing how they interact with patients in clinic has helped me grow as a surgeon.
What is your favorite thing about St. Louis?
OG: My favorite thing about St. Louis is Forest Park. There are so many things to do in the park—from running to visiting the free museums or going to the balloon race every summer.
Learn more about the breast surgery fellowship at WashU Medicine here.